Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 110 male: 19.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.96 years country comparison to the world: 51 male: 75.28 years
female: 80.89 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.01 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian
Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Religions:
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Languages:
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,Romani, Slavic dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 98.7%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.3% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 147
Government ::Albania
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Government type:
emerging democracy
Capital:
name: Tirana (Tirane)
geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
Independence:
28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Constitution:
approved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998
Legal system:
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
elections: president elected by the Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19
note: Parliament in November 2008 approved an electoral reform package that will transform the electoral system from a majority system to a regional proportional system; the code will also establish an electoral threshold limiting smaller party representation
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) and multiple appeals and district courts
Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; ChristianDemocratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania orPKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [NeritanCEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; G99 Political Movement[Erion VELIAJ]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; NationalFront Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur ROSHI]; New DemocraticParty or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU];Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; SocialDemocratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement forIntegration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA];Socialist Party 1991 [Petro KOCI]; Union for Human Rights Party orPBDNj [Vangjel DULE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of TradeUnions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for AlbanianNational Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia[Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH[Gezim KALAJA]
International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, SECI,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John L. WITHERS, II
embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510
telephone: [355] (4) 2247285
Flag description:
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero George Castriota SKANDERBERG, who led a successful uprising against the Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-1478)
Economy ::Albania
Economy - overview:
Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Macroeconomic growth has averaged around 5% over the last five years and inflation is low and stable. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime, and recently adopted a fiscal reform package aimed at reducing the large gray economy and attracting foreign investment. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad representing about 15% of GDP, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. The agricultural sector, which accounts for over half of employment but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages because of a reliance on hydropower, and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment and lack of success in attracting new foreign investment. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore has helped diversify generation capacity, and plans to upgrade transmission lines between Albania and Montenegro and Kosovo would help relieve the energy shortages. Also, with help from EU funds, the government is taking steps to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$21.86 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $20.61 billion (2007 est.)
$19.44 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Albania has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large as 50% of official GDP
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.96 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 6% (2007 est.)
5.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $5,700 (2007 est.)
$5,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20.5%
industry: 19.8%
services: 59.7% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.103 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 58%
industry: 15%
services: 27% (September 2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 13.2% (2007 est.)
note: these are official rates, but actual rates may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming
Population below poverty line:
25% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.7 (2005) country comparison to the world: 124
Investment (gross fixed):
23.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Budget:
revenues: $3.458 billion
expenditures: $4.175 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
51.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 34 51.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 2.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.02% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 14.1% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.028 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 64 $2.707 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$6.251 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 $6.433 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$8.176 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $7.247 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Electricity - production:
2.888 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Electricity - consumption:
3.603 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.475 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
5,985 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Oil - consumption:
34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Oil - exports:
748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Oil - imports:
24,080 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Oil - proved reserves:
199.1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 205
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Current account balance:
-$1.906 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 -$1.202 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.345 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.076 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Italy 55.9%, Greece 11.6%, China 7.2% (2008)
Imports:
$4.898 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $3.999 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Italy 32.2%, Greece 13.1%, Turkey 7.2%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.5%,Russia 4.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.364 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.55 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 143
Exchange rates:
leke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004)
Communications ::Albania
Telephones - main lines in use:
316,400 (2008) country comparison to the world: 113
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.141 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 108
Telephone system:
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital
international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005)
Internet country code:
.al
Internet hosts:
14,245 (2009) country comparison to the world: 110
Internet users:
471,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 109
Transportation ::Albania
Airports:
5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 176
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 896 km country comparison to the world: 96 standard gauge: 896 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 18,000 km country comparison to the world: 117 paved: 7,020 km
unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)
Waterways:
43 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 105
Merchant marine:
total: 24 country comparison to the world: 91 by type: cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Military ::Albania
Military branches:
Joint Force Command (includes Land, Naval, and Aviation BrigadeCommands), Joint Support Command (includes Logistic Command),Training and Doctrine Command (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 944,592
females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 800,665
females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 34,778
female: 31,673 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.49% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Transnational Issues ::Albania
Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and children is on the rise
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim protection; the government did not appropriately identify trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and expanding cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Algeria (Africa)
Introduction ::Algeria
Background:
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qaida to form al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which since has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings - including high-profile, mass-casualty suicide attacks targeted against the Algerian government and Western interests. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems.
Geography ::Algeria
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,381,741 sq km country comparison to the world: 11 land: 2,381,741 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline:
998 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
Climate:
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain:
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
arable land: 3.17%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 96.55% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,690 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
14.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%)
per capita: 185 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People ::Algeria
Population:
34,178,188 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.4% (male 4,436,591/female 4,259,729)
15-64 years: 69.5% (male 11,976,965/female 11,777,618)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 798,576/female 928,709) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.6 years
male: 26.3 years
female: 26.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.196% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Birth rate:
16.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Death rate:
4.64 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Net migration rate:
-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Urbanization:
urban population: 65% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 27.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 80 male: 30.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.02 years country comparison to the world: 92 male: 72.35 years
female: 75.77 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
21,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools
Religions:
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.9%
male: 79.6%
female: 60.1% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 64
Government ::Algeria
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Algiers
geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayat, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, AinTemouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, SidiBel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
Independence:
5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
Constitution:
8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976; effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996, 10 April 2002, and 12 November 2008
Legal system:
socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; note - a November 2008 constitutional amendment abolished presidential term limits; election last held 9 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for third term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 90.2%, Louisa HANOUNE 4.2%, Moussa TOUATI 2.3%, Djahid YOUNSI 1.4%, Ali Fawzi REBIANE less than 1%, Mohamed SAID less than 1%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years) and the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28 December 2006 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1, independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24; note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council members rather than the whole Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA [MoussaTOUATI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement NationalDemocratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front orFLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National ReformMovement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Ahmed ABDESLAM]; Rally for Cultureand Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahdaMovement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine AitAHMED]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI];Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOSDisparus [Nacera DUTOUR]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO,UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David D. PEARCE
embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] 770-08-2000
Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary; the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness
Economy ::Algeria
Economy - overview:
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 15th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external debt to less than 5% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and increased government spending. The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$233.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $225.6 billion (2007 est.)
$218.8 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$159.7 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 3.1% (2007 est.)
2.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $6,800 (2007 est.)
$6,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.3%
industry: 62.3%
services: 29.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
9.464 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 11.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
23% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.3 (1995) country comparison to the world: 86
Investment (gross fixed):
26.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Budget:
revenues: $70.06 billion
expenditures: $56.04 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
8.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 37.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 3.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$60.91 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 19 $55.43 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$30.36 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 $28.59 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Industries:
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Electricity - production:
34.98 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - consumption:
28.34 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - exports:
273 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
279 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
2.18 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Oil - consumption:
299,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Oil - exports:
1.891 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Oil - imports:
14,320 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Oil - proved reserves:
12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - production:
86.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Natural gas - consumption:
26.83 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Natural gas - exports:
59.67 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 5
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Current account balance:
$35.27 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $30.6 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$78.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 $60.6 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
Exports - partners:
US 23.9%, Italy 15.5%, Spain 11.4%, France 8%, Netherlands 7.8%,Canada 6.8% (2008)
Imports:
$39.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $26.4 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 16.5%, Italy 11%, China 10.3%, Spain 7.4%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.5% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$143.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $110.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.753 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 $3.957 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$13.76 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $11.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.162 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $962 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)
Communications ::Algeria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.314 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 46
Telephones - mobile cellular:
31.871 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 30
Telephone system:
general assessment: a weak network of fixed-main lines, which remains at roughly 10 telephones per 100 persons, is offset by the rapid increase in mobile cellular subscribership; in 2008, combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density surpassed 100 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003